Following the instruction from Executive Director Atty. Teodoro Jose S. Matta implementing the PCSDS partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of Australian government for the Marine Resource Initiative (MRI) Project, five (5) Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS) attended the preparatory meetings for the Experts Elicitation Planning Workshop for the Marine Resource Initiative (MRI) Project, at Geoscience Australia in Canberra ACT and University of Sydney in Sydney, Australia from September 30- October 5, 2022.
The PCSDS MRI Project Management Team composed of For. Glenda I. Manalo-Cadigal (PCSDS- District Manager for DMD South and MRI Project Coordinator), Engr. Madrono P. Cabrestante Jr. (PCSDS-Chief ECAN Monitoring and Evaluation Division and Knowledge Management Specialist), Daryl C. Licerio (PCSDS- Marine Spatial Planning Specialist), John S. Martin Caligdong (PCSDS-GIS Specialist), and Cherry Lyn S. Jalover-Par (PCSDS-Project M&E Specialist), met with Australian counterparts, operationalizing the MRI partnership.
The Marine Resource Initiative (MRI) Project seeks to develop the skills and expertise of PCSDS in establishing authoritative geography in the province of Palawan. It also aims to help characterize the living and non-living marine resources in its waters, identify the threats on its resources, and improve its understanding of its resources.
Moreover, the MRI Project also aims to support the development of policy responses reducing the environmental, social, and economic risks using Palawan as its case study.
To be able to implement the MRI Project in full swing, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) will also be inked between Palawan Council for Sustainable Development and Geoscience Australia.